The water issue in Iran is not only an environmental problem but also a matter of security, economy, politics, and society.

Somayeh Baghi, reporter for Rokna: The water issue in Iran is not merely an environmental problem but also a matter of security, economy, politics, and society. The critical subsidence in provinces such as Isfahan and Kerman, along with the deteriorating conditions of Lake Urmia and the wetlands, shows that the water crisis in the country has reached a stage that cannot be solved through minor measures alone.

Despite the necessity of proper water resource management, decisive governmental action has yet to take place.

According to the spokesperson for the country’s water industry, the main reason is the complexity and magnitude of the issue, since improving the water situation in Iran means reforming the national development model—a matter directly tied to people’s jobs, income, and welfare, affecting all organizations.

Another obstacle is the continued reliance on past paradigms. Methods such as closing illegal wells, fostering public participation, or providing alternative livelihoods funded by oil and taxes, which have been tried over the past three decades, are no longer adequate to address the current crisis. What most hinders effective action today is the “resistance to change,” a resistance that could make overcoming the water crisis even more difficult.